The AAV-7 soldiers on after over 40 years in service with the USMC and a dozen other operators around the globe. As such the “Amtrak” has been upgraded over the decades to stay tactically relevant. Now, once again, it is receiving yet another infusion of new technologies making it more effective and survivable.

Defense contractor SAIC and the USMC are currently ahead of schedule on their initiative to upgrade and test ten AAV-7s in this new survivability upgrade configuration. If successful, the tests will culminate in the updated Amtrak entering low-rate production in 2017. In total the Marines intend to upgrade a total of 392 AAVs which will breathe a couple more decades of life into the old but proven design.